Engine starter



295, E936. J, h RECHARDS 756068 ENGINE STARTER Filed Nov. 11. 11.923

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IME/W03 z5 JuLlus H.R|CHARDS 32M ATToH/lfrs 25 rlngs.

Patented Apr. 29,A 1930 UNITED -sv'rATEs JULIUS E. RICHARDS, OF TOBBINGTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB IO ECLIPSE MA- CHINE OOHPANY, OF ELMIBA, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW IYORK Encima Application 111ml November My linvention relates to a starter for starting mternal combustion engines or the like andthe same pertains more particularly to .the drive or transmission located between lthe prime mover such as an 'electric motor and a :member` of the engine tobe started such as the y wheel thereof. The object of my invention is to provide a comparatively simple but eiicient and reliable drive of this character, whose advantages in construction and mode of operation will be apparent from the `description hereinafter given.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a starting apparatus embodying my invention, illustrating a portion of the starting motor and a portion of the iiy wheel of the engine; Fi 2 a plan view of the barrel of the drive; ig. 3 a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 an elevation of a plate of one of the sets of friction plates; 5'an elevation of a plate of the otherfset of friction lates; Fig. 6 an lelevation of the end plate of t e barrel; Fig. 7 an edge view thereof partly in section and Fig. 8 an elevation o the locking In the present instance I have" shown my invention embodied'in adrive of the outboard type and also of the direct drive type, a1- t ough :it willbe understood that the same is applicable to the inboard type and also to the indirect drive type.

Referring to the embodiment of my invention as herein shown thel motor M has an extended armature shaft 1 provided with a screw threaded portion 2 and having its bearing in the outer end of a bracket or .casing 9 .which is secured to the frame of the motor.

Upon ,they screw Yshaft there is threaded whatmay be' termed a combined yielding 4 clutch and actuating member which is here in the form of a friction clutch operatively connected with the driving-member or pinion 7 through the medium of the .barrel 3. This clutch comprises two sets of alternating disks l 5 and 6 the formation illustrated in srazarna V1, 192s. serial vmi.. 672,069.

Figs. 4 and 5 according to which the disks or plates 5 are provided peripherally with the extensions 24 and intervening recesses 25, and the plates 6 areprovided internally with the grooves 20 and extensions 26. The plates 6 are sov constructed and ada d as to be threaded into the screw. threa s of the screw shaft and to bethereby operatively connected therewith so that upon rotation' of the shaft the entireclutch, barrel and drivin member or inionv are' advanced automatica y longitu allytowards the fly wheel, whereupon the pinion 7 meshes with the y wheel 10 and cplntscts the stop nut 8 at the end of the screw s a The set of friction-plates 5 is'i'nterlocked with the barrel 3 by reason of the projection of said extensions 24 through the longitudinal slots 19 of such barrel. These plates 5 are connected with the barrel for positive, rotary movement and also for a relative longitudinal 4"movement, the slots 19 being made of suiiicient ,len h for that purpose. The clutch plates an the barrel are held in proper assembled position by 'means of the end ring or plate 11 rovided with curved slots 2l through w 'ch the tongues 23 of the barrell pass. This ring is locked in place by means of the pair of locking rings 13 having Yprojections 29 adaptedto fit in the slots 221m the barrel. l The barrel 3 `is voperatively connected with the pinion 7 by the engagement of ,its serrated outer end 28 with the teeth of the' pinion whereby such barrel is connected positively with the pinion for rotary movement and.V connected for relative longitudinal movement. At theinner ends of the pinion teeth a flange 12 is provided whereby the barrel on Tits inward movement is capable of moving the pinion longitudinally. This pinion has 'acentral smooth bore which is of such diameter as to slide freely valong the tops of the screw threads 2. comparatively heavy spring 9ov 4 is interposed between the pinion and the stead of its meshed position as shown inFig.

1, when the motor is operated and the armature shaft 1 is rotated, the drive assembly is automatically shifted longitudinally to the left i'nto the position shown in Fig. 1 at which time the pinion is in mesh with the fly wheel 1() and against the stop nut 8, whereupon the torque of the motor will be transmitted to the iy wheel. When the engine starts on its own power the drive will be automatically demeshed in the well-known way.

When the armature` shaft is rotated the clutch being threaded upon the screw portion thereof will automatically move longitudinall towards the left and shift the drive assem ly intb meshed position as above stated. Owing to the extended length of the slots 19 the friction clutch will move the distance indicated by the arrows B and against the tension of spring 4 after the longitudinal movement of the pinion has been arrested by the stop nut 8. The clutch plates will thereupon bottom in the slots/19 but by that time, if not before, owing to the strength of the spring 4, the torque transmitted through the clutch will exceed the resistance offered by the fly wheel and the latter will thereby be rotated as described.

In the event of abutting ofthe pinion teeth and iiy wheel teeth end to end the clutch and barrelwill continue to advance, compressing the spring .4 whereupon by reason of the resistance thus offered to vthe longitudinal movement of the clutch, the latter will rotate slightly and thereby slightly rotate the pinion and bring its teeth into register with the fly wheel teeth: Tle spring 4 4being then under compression will snap the pinion into full mesh with the fly wheel.

The spring,4 should at all timesbe of such size and strength as to cause driving torque through the friction clutch in order to crank the engine without compressing beyond the slot spaces B, the length of which slots and the strength of thespring being varied in order to meet the circumstances. The construction and arrangement of vthe parts bf the drive arel such that the vengine is cranked be- .fore there is any possibility of the barrel closing the cle/arance spacel'between itfand the face of thefly wheel and coming into contact therewith.

I claim: l 1. An en ine lstarter drive including a rotatable sha t, a drivingmember adapted to be moved into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and a multiple disk friction. clutch connected' with the driving meminterposed between the driven thereof when the shaft is rotated and' for rotary movement therewith, said clutch com'-` prising a plurality of cooperating friction plates the driving set of which are independently mounted and actuated. n

2. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw shaft, a driving member adapted to be moved into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and a multiple disk friction clutch comprising two sets of clutch plates, the first set consisting of a plurality of plates which cooperate with each other which are operatively connected with the driving member for rotatingthe latter, and the second set consisting of a plurality of plates which are directly threaded upon said shaft and thereby independently mounted and actuated.

3. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft, a driving member adapted to be moved into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and a multiple disk friction clutch connected with the driving member forv rotating it and operatively connected with the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof when the shaft is rotated and for rotary movement therewith, said clutch comprising a lurality of cooperating friction plates the diiving set of which are independently mounted and actuated, and a spring interposed between the other set of plates and the driving member.

4. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft, a driving member adapted to bel moved into engagment with a member of the engine to be started, a multiple disk friction clutch comprising two sets of clutch tively connecting the driven plates with the driving member, theother set of lates being the driving plates which are in ependently mounted upon and actuated b such shaft, anda spring arranged within t e barrel and and the driving member.

6. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft which has a screw threaded portion, a driving member mounted to slide on set of plates i said shaft longitudinally into engagement I with a member of the engine to be started, a combined clutchand actuating member op'- eratively connected with the driving member 'and the shft, and a, barrel operativel conneoted with the driving member an with the clutch and permitting avlimiting relative longitudinal movement of the clutch with 5 respect t o the driving member, said clutch being of the multiple disk type and including a, plurality of driving clutch plates which are independently threaded ufyon said screw threaded portion Ioi. the sha and thereby 10- independently mounted upon and actuated by such shaft.

JULIUS H. RICHARDS. 

